Wall-mounted partitions



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United States Patent 3,500,894 WALL-MOUNTED PARTITIONS Giancarlo Polferi, Pistoia, Italy, assignor to Ital-Bed Costruzioni Letti e Afiini S.r.l., Pistoia, Italy, an Italian corporate body Filed Aug. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 751,104 Claims priority, application Italy, Aug. 12, 1967, 4,138/67; Feb. 29, 1968, 3,907/68 Int. Cl. E04f 10/04; E06b 3/94; A47g /02 US. Cl. 160-22 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall-mounted partition can be moved between a collapsed and an extended position. The partition comprises a pantograph structure which lies within a panel and around which a length of cloth or the like extends from a roll of cloth mounted at one side. When the pantograph structure is extended the cloth is caused to be payed out from the roller around the pantograph structure so maintaining the pantograph structure concealed even when fully extended.

The present invention relates to wall-mounted partitions and in particular to wall-mounted partitions which can be moved between a collapse and an extended position.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved wall-mounted partition suitable for separating bed units in a hospital and for like applications.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wall-mounted partition which can be readily moved between a collapsed and an extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wallmounted partition which has a good aesthetic appearance from all visible sides, both when open and collapsed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a wall-mounted partition movable between an extended and a collapsed condition comprising a web receiving roller mounted on said wall, a length of web wound on said roller, and means connecting said web to wall-mounted support means whereby when said partition is moved from a collapsed to an extended position said web is unwound from said roller and when said partition is moved from an extended to a collapsed position said web is rewound on said roller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 are two perspective views of the partition embodying the present invention respectively in a concealed and an operative position;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line IV-IV FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a partially sectioned lateral view of the partition in a position between its concealed and operative positions;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show two views on an enlarged scale of parts of FIG 5 indicated respectively by the arrows VI and VII; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are two cross sections respectively taken on line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7 and lX-IX of FIG. 6.

As shown in FIGURE 1 a panel 1, which supports for example, a night-table 3 or the like is rigidly mounted on a wall P.

The panel 1 has a vertically elongate window 5 which houses a collapsible partition. A vertical guide 7, which may for example be of square cross section (see FIG.

3,500,894 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 4) is housed within the panel in alignment with the torsion spring which urges a cloth or other flexible web 11,

one end of which is connected to the roller, to be wound thereon. On the side of the guide 7 opposite that of the roller 9 there is provided a rod 13 to which the other end of the cloth 11 is secured. A stationary support 15 is rigidly secured to the guide 7. T stationary end linkage 17 of a pantograph structure is connected to the support 15. An annular shoe 19, which carries another end linkage 21 of the pantograph structure is slidably mounted on the guide 7.

The pantograph structure includes two sets of rods 23, the rods of each set being linked in series and each rod of one set being pivotally connected at its centre to the centre of a corresponding rod in the other series. The pantograph structure of the rods 23 includes, besides the end linkages 17 and 21, two further end linkages 25 and 27. The upper of the two linkages 25 is connected to a stationary support or guide member 29 and the lower of the two linkages 27 is mounted on a slidable shoe guide 31. The support 29 and the shoe guide 31 are assembled on a vertical guide rod 33. The guide rod 33 supports by means of two brackets 35A, 35B a movable operaational member 37. The operational member is thus supported by the pantograph structure and is operable to move the pantograph structure between an extended and a collapsed position. A transmission or web-extracting roller 39 is also mounted between the two brackets 35A and 35B of the member 37. The roller 39 which is allowed to rotate freely about its own axis lies on a side of the guide 35 opposite to that on which the pantograph linkage rods 23 are mounted. The cloth 11 passes around the roller 39 in such a manner that two lengths 11A and 11B extend respectively between the drum 9 and the roller 39 and between the roller 39 and the rod 13. The vertical guide 33 is secured to the bracket 35A by means of a pin 33A, carried by the bracket 35A, extending into the guide. The transmission roller 39 is supported by the brackets 35A and 35B by means of a pin 39A on the lower bracket 35B and a pin 39B on the upper bracket 35A, respectively extending into the two ends of the roller 39.

The member 37, which is operable by means of a handle 37A, may be brought into contact with the panel 1 (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) in such a manner as to close the vertical window 5. The member 37 is provided with a flange around its periphery so that when the member 37 is brought into contact with the panel the flange engages a peripheral groove in the panel surrounding the window 5. In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 the major portion of the cloth 11 is wound on the roller 9 while the remainder of the cloth extends from the roller 9 around the transmission roller 39 to the rod 13 (see FIG. 4); the pantograph structure lying in a collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 3.

If it is desired to extend the partition, the member 37 must be moved from the position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, to a position spaced from the wall P, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In extending the pantograph structure the rods 23 become inclined with respect to their respective linkages and the shoes 19 and 31 slide upwardly on the guide rods 7 and 33. The member 37 remains throughout supported by the pantograph structure in positions parallel to the wall P. The cloth 11 during the extending operation is unwound from the drum 9 to increase the lengths 11A and 11B on respective sides of the pantograph rods 23.

If it is desired to collapse the partition, the member 37 must be moved towards the panel 1, and during this operation, the rod 9 which is resiliently biased for rotation, rewinds the cloth 11 until the member 37 engages the panel 1 to lie in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

The partition provides a good aesthetic finish on both sides thereof, as the pantograph structure is completely hidden by the two cloth lengths 11A and 11B.

The guide 7 prevents any angular movement of the pantograph structure about its vertical axis so that the partition remains substantially perpendicular to the panel 1 and therefore to the wall on which the panel 1 is mounted.

What is claimed is:

1. A wall-mounted partition movable between an extended and a collapsed position comprising an enclosure adapted to be mounted vertical upon a wall and having a front panel with an elongated vertical slot therein, a vertically-extending stationary guide means mounted on the enclosure inside said panel and in front of said slot, a pantograph structure having an inner end mounted on said stationary guide means and extendable through said slot and being recoverable inside the panel, a movable handle-bearing operational covering member for closing said slot, a vertically extending movable guide carried by said operational member and extending coextensively therewith, the outer end of said pantograph structure mounted upon said vertically-extending guide so that said pantograph structure supports said operational member for movement in a horizontal direction towards and away from said stationary guide means, a torsion spring biased web dispensing roller mounted in said enclosure at one side of said stationary pantograph guide, said operational member having a web transmission roller carried thereon and coextending with said vertically-extending movable guide means between the same and said operational covering member, a flexible web wound upon said web-dispensing roller and extending for a first length through said slot in the panel over one side of said pantograph structure and about said transmission roller and for a second final length into the slot and over the opposite side of said pantograph structure and rod means mounted in the enclosure at the opposite sides of said stationary guide means from said web-dispensing roller and anchoring the second length of the web to the enclosure, said operational closing member forming a covering of said slot by engagement with said panel, and in the extended position,- said operational closing member being spaced from said panel, said web extending with its two lengths in said slot and over said transmission roller upon the operational member, and said pantograph structure lying between said two web lengths.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,573 7/1877 Tripp 24 X 388,161 8/1888 Tripp. 1,442,255 l/1923 Doner 1601'21 X 2,349,368 5/1944 Myers 16085 X 2,937,699 5/ 1960 Ducharme. 3,128,688 4/1964 Coda 16085 X FOREIGN PATENTS 909,151 10/1945 France.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US. or. X.R. 16084, 238 

